SolderStar APS

The SolderStar APS system provides full time process monitoring of a soldering process, the system is capable of recording process conditions and the temperature profile for every electronic assembly produced.

Ultra-thin sensor probes are permanently mounted along the length of the oven to measure product level temperature. This newly developed probe allows for a smaller physical size which offers two significant advantages, fast response to changing oven loading and the reduction of shadowing problems associated with components mounted close to the conveyor rails.

Product speed and position are monitored by way of dedicated speed monitoring instrumentation, combined with optical sensors and a new software algorithm, resulting in a 'True Profile' for every board processed.

PC software automatically calculates all important process parameters and checks for values outside defined limits for the process. On exit of the PCB assembly from the machine the process conditions and calculated profile are stored along with a unique ID in a database for complete product traceability.

Should the measured parameters drift outside process limits the system immediately stops further entry of assemblies into the machine via a standard SMEMA interface and alerts line staff that remedial action is required.